Area restricting rug pad for a vacuum nozzle



Nov. 8, 1955 o ALLEN 2,722,710

AREA RESTRICTING RUG PAD FOR A VACUUM NOZZLE Filed Feb. 7, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR BY ANEY 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR aw'ud 4 M M r HEY Nov. 8, 1955 o. ALLEN AREA RESTRICTING RUG PAD FOR A VACUUM NOZZLE Filed Feb. 7, 1952 NOV. 8, Q EN AREA RESTRICTING RUG PAD FOR A VACUUM NOZZLE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 7, 1952 INVENTOR fl um K 0/55 W ARNEY I United States Patent Ofiiice 2,122,110 Patented Nov. 8, 1955 AREA RESTRICTING RUG PAD FOR A VACUUM NOZZLE Oliver L. Allen, Riverside, Conn., assignor to Electrolux Corporation, Old Greenwich, Conn., a corporation of Delaware Application February 7, 1952, Serial No. 270,447

8 Claims. (Cl. 154.18)

My invention relates to a new and improved suction nozzle for use in various and different cleaning steps, more particularly, for cleaning corded or long twisted thread type rugs.

My invention also includes an attachment or insert for use with a conventional vacuum cleaner rug nozzle to thereby adapt the latter for cleaning rugs of this type.

I have found that a conventional rug nozzle having a suction opening of usual width is not satisfactory for cleaning this type of rug for the reason that the long and relatively widely separated tufts enter the nozzle opening and engage the edges of the nozzle lips, thus making it difficult to move the nozzle over the rug. Also, the rela-. tively large spaces between tufts provide so much space underneath the lips that the velocity of the air entering a conventional nozzle is too low for efiicient cleaning.

Accordingly, one of the objects of my invention is to provide a nozzle having a narrow opening throughout the greater extent of its length. This not only prevents the entrance of the tufts of the rug into the opening to any substantial extent, but the small cross-sectional area of the opening assures a high velocity of the entering air and thus eflicient cleaning.

Another object of my invention is to provide a removable insert for converting a conventional nozzle into one having the foregoing features.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification and in which:

Figure 1 is an exploded view in perspective of a partially disassembled rug nozzle together with the insert of this invention:

Figure 2 is a plan view of the insert mounted within the nozzle suction opening, with a portion of the nozzle broken away in order to show a preliminary step in its insertion;

Figure 3 is a partially sectional view of the nozzle showing the insert in plan view and self-biased within the nozzle opening; and

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the nozzle showing the insert in place and the narrow suction opening throughout the greater extent of its length.

Referring now more particularly ot the drawings, reference numeral designates a conventional suction nozzle of substantially hollow structure having an elongated suction opening 12. The pad bearing member 50 when inserted into nozzle 10 provides a novel, simple and improved rug cleaning embodiment in accord with this invention, one which is especially adapted for clean ing elongated cord or tufted types of rugs.

The outer ends of the nozzle opening 12 terminate in rearwardly extending wing portions 15. Adjacent the lips of the lower edge of the body of nozzle 10 and at the rear wall thereof there is provided a bottom bumper channel in which is mounted the bottom rubber bumper 17. Above the channel the body of the nozzle extends longitudinally inward culminating at the top of the body in a reduced flat area provided with a small central high velocity aperture which latter is more specifically adapted to apply an intense cleaning action through a swirling vortex when applied to a surface being cleaned.

Nozzle 10 is substantially a hollow casting, its rear wall being provided with an opening through which is inserted a suction elbow 20, the inner end of which is received in a socket 21 formed in the inside of the front wall. Elbow 20 is secured within the body by a securing plate 24 and screws 25 and is cut away at 22 to cooperate with the socket in such manner as to direct the flow of air through the appropriate upper or lower portion of the nozzle when the corresponding suction opening is disposed towards the surface being cleaned. The outer end of the elbow is adapted to be connected to a conduit leading from a vacuum cleaner in order to apply suction to the interior of the nozzle.

The conventional rubber bumper shown, namely bottom rubber bumper ring 17, protects furniture against scufiing by the nozzle during a cleaner operation. It is held in position at the front by a lip 48 which extends downwardly and into the nozzle opening 12 and includes a pair of transverse flanges 47 which extend from the socket 21 outwardly to the ends of the nozzle body. A pair of end glider members 60, secured to the body of nozzle 10 by suitable securing screws 62, 72 are adapted to engage the surface being cleaned to properly space the lips therefrom. Each glider member is adapted to hold the lower bumper ring 17 in position as well as to overlie the terminal ends of plate 43 and the terminal ends of rear lip forming rod 40, thus constituting a unitary assembly'means for the nozzle member 10.

Referring now, more particularly, to the structural details of unit 5t which individually and in combination with nozzle 10 forms the subject matter of this invention, it comprises a pair of flat spring steel members 51, 52 with individual specially shaped pads 53, 54, respectively, mounted thereon by rivets such as 55. A central connecting bridge member 57, having upwardly bent arching portions, Figs. 1, 2 (downwardly arching when the cleaner nozzle is in position for use on a tufted rug), is secured to the inner ends of the fiat spring steel members 51, 52 by riveting or spot welding, so as to place flat spring members 51 and 5 2 in substantial linear alignment with each other.

Member 57 thus forms a central port for free access of the suction air stream when the swivel suction elbow 20 is turned with its inner cut away portion 22 in direct communication with the large nozzle opening 12. When the nozzle is inverted, bridge member 57 provides sufiicient space for enabling swivel suction elbow 20 to turn freely and close the large opening in order to direct the air flow through the smaller upper nozzle member.

Pads 53, 54 are shaped in such a manner as to lie fiush with the lower outside cleaning lips of suction nozzle 10 when unit 50 is inserted and snapped into operative position within the cleaner nozzle opening. Pads 53 and 54 are spaced inwardly from the walls of the opening in the nozzle, as shown clearly in Fig. 4, and in addition pads 53, 54 are separated from each other by a large center opening withinwhich arch 57 lies. upper boundary for the suction passage through the nozzle and also serves to limit the upward biasing action of spring members 51, 52 which press against flange portion 47 thus retaining said members in fixed position and immobilizing the entire insert structure 50.

End glider members 60, 70 each have a small inwardly projecting lug portion in the form of a flanged member 61, 71 respectively, under which the lateral free ends 51a, 52a of fiat leaf springs 51, 52 are retained. Each end glider member 60, 70 is mounted on thebody of Flange 47 forms an nozzle by suitable securing screws and lock washers 62, 72.

Unit 50 is readily inserted into the large suction nozzle opening 12 as shown in Fig. 2 by merely placing the ends 51a, 52a of unit 50 under the respective lug portions having the shape of flanged members 61, 71 of end glider members 60, 70, respectively, thereby bowing the center 57 of unit 50 upwardly, Fig. 2; then, by pressing downwardly upon center 57, unit 50 snaps into position bowed in the opposite direction, Fig. 3, and is thus seated Well within the nozzle opening. The unit 50 thus is held within the nozzle opening 12 and securely pressed against the transverse pair of flanges 47 which extend from the socket 21 outwardly to the end of the nozzle body, unit 50 being held in place by the inwardly biasing spring action of flat spring steelmembers 51, 52. Unit 50 is readily removed by grasping bridge member 57 or either of the inner ends of pad members 53, 54 with the thumb and index finger and pulling outwardly, whereupon the unit arches outwardly and is readily removed.

Various other modifications are intended to be embraced herein. Thus, if it is not desired to have the pads 53 and 54 removable, the structures 51, 52 and 57 may be omitted and the pads 53 and 54 may then be secured by rivets 55 directly to plate 47.

It is to be understood that the embodiment herein specifically shown and described is merely illustrative and not limitative of the scope of the invention which may be variously otherwise modified within the definition of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A suction nozzle for cleaning a surface comprising an elongated hollow body having a pair of spaced elongated walls, the lower edges of said walls forming lips bounding a suction opening of substantially uniform width, means for connecting a source of suction to said hollow body near the longitudinal center of said opening, and a surface contacting member disposed in fixed position in each end of said body, said members being spaced from each other and each member extending from adjacent one end of said opening to adjacent said means and having a lower surface substantially flush with said lips, said members being spaced inwardly substantially equal distances from said walls.

2. A suction nozzle for cleaning a surface comprising an elongated hollow body having a pair of spaced elongated walls, the lower edges of said walls forming lips bounding a suction opening of substantially uniform width, means for connecting a source of suction to said opening, and a surface contacting member disposed in each end of said body, said members being spaced from each other and each member extending from adjacent one end of said opening to adjacent said means and having a lower surface substantially flush with said lips, and resilient supporting means for said members removably insertable within said elongated hollow body for retaining said members in fixed position, said members being spaced inwardly substantially equal distances from said walls.

3. A suction nozzle for cleaning a surface comprising an elongated hollow body having a pair of spaced elongated walls, the lower edges of said walls forming lips bounding a suction opening, means for connecting a source of suction to said hollow body near the longitudinal center of said opening, and a surface contacting member disposed in each end of said body, each of said members extending from adjacent one end of said opening to adjacent said means and having a lower surface substantially flush with said lips, and resilient supporting means for said members removably insertable within said elongated hollow body, said members being spaced inwardly from said walls, an end glider member affixed at each end of said body and each having a centrally disposed lug, and a cooperatively adapted area on said resilient supporting means engageable with said lugs for holding said surface contacting members stationary in said substantially flush position.

4. In a suction nozzle for a vacuum cleaner of the type having a hollow elongated body having a lengthwise extending opening at the bottom and with a suction tube communicating with the hollow body, the improvement comprising a pair of flat spring members having a U- shaped connecting member between the inner ends of said pair of flat spring members, the entire unit being insertable into said opening, and a pair of inwardly projecting flanged members, one on each end of the lengthwise extending opening, for holding the free ends of the pair of fiat spring members against the inner surface of said hollow elongated body in biased position thereagainst, and a pad mounted on each of said fiat spring members extending substantially across the opening of said suction nozzle for keeping elongated rug cord elements out of said opening.

5. In an insert for a suction nozzle of a vacuum cleaner wherein the nozzle has a hollow elongated body open at the bottom bounded by nozzle lips and substantially closed at the top and is provided with flanged members at the ends of said hollow elongated body, the improvement comprising flat resilient members nested in the hollow elongated body, said flat members being resiliently expanded into said open body and against the interior of said closed top and between said flanged members whereby they are removably retained due to their resiliency within said hollow elongated body, and a surface contacting member afiixed to each of said fiat members and having an outer surface substantially flush with said nozzle lips.

6. In a suction nozzle for a vacuum cleaner of the type having a hollow elongated body having a lengthwise extending opening at the bottom bounded by nozzle lips and with a suction tube communicating with the hollow body, the improvement comprising a pair of flat spring members having a U-shaped connecting member between the inner ends of said pair of flat spring members, the entire unit being insertable into said opening, and a pair of inwardly projecting flanged members, one on each end of the lengthwise extending opening, for holding the free ends of the pair of flat spring members against the inner surface of said hollow elongated body in biased position thereagainst, and a pad mounted on each of said flat spring members extending substantially across the opening of said suction nozzle opening, said pads serving as surface contacting members and being retained in fixed position within said suction nozzle opening and having an outer surface substantially flush with said nozzle lips for keeping elongated rug cord elements out of said opening.

7. A suction nozzle for cleaning a surface comprising an elongated hollow body having a pair of spaced elongated walls, the lower edges of said walls forming lips bounding a suction opening, said body being formed with recesses at opposite ends thereof and between said walls, said body being formed with an outlet opening, an insert receivable within said hollow body comprising an elongated resilient structure slightly longer than the distance between said recesses and having ends engageable within said recesses by bowing said structure outwardly, and surface contacting pads mounted on said structure and re tained thereby in fixed position with respect to said body when said resilient structure is bowed inwardly through said suction opening and biased into contact with the inner surface of said hollow body.

8. A suction nozzle for cleaning a surface comprising an elongated hollow body having a pair of spaced elongated walls, the lower edges of said walls forming lips bounding a suction opening, said body being formed with recesses at opposite ends thereof and between said walls, one of said walls being formed with an outlet opening extending therethrough near the longitudinal center thereof, an elongated insert receivable within said hollow body comprising a pair of resilient arms joined by a relatively rigid arcuatemember, the overall length of said arms and member being slightly greater than the distance between said recesses, said arms having ends engageable within said recesses by bowing said resilient arms outwardly, and surface contacting pads mounted on said arms and retained thereby in fixed position with respect to said body when said resilient arms are bowed inwardly through said suction opening and biased into contact with the inner surface of said hollow body, said arcuate member extending around said outlet opening.

877,960 StafiFord Feb. 4, 1908 6 Thompson Apr. 25, 1916 Clements Jan. 27, 1931 Lawrence June 9, 1931 Hurley Oct. 19, 1937 Dunbar July 9, 1940 Groth Nov. 5, 1940 Brown, Jr. Nov. 2, 1943 Humphrey Oct. 9, 1951 Johnson Apr. 21, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Jan. 23, 1952 

